HC directs DDA to probe transfer of land of NGOs

New Delhi, Nov 23 (UNI) The Delhi Development Authority(DDA) today submitted before the Delhi High Court that the land allotted to the NGO-- Canara Bank Relief and Rehabilitation(CBRR)-- set up by the Canara Bank was sold to another Delhi-based NGO for Rs one crore.

The half-acre land allotted to the Canara Bank at Rs 1.5 lakh had been sold to Damayanti Sahani Women Welfare Society in 2002, said DDA Counsel Rajiv Bansal.

Observing that it was a criminal breach of trust, a division bench of acting Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Rekha Sharma directed the DDA to institute a probe into the allottment of land to about 66 societies, trusts and NGOs at a concessional rate to carry out social service in the fields of education, health, culture, research and development.

The Court directed the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, to expedite the probe into the FIR lodged by the DDA in connection with the missing file of the CBRR.

Adjourning the matter till December 14, the Court gave four weeks to the DDA to probe the matter and file a report before the bench and the Monitoring Committee headed by former Commissioner of Police R S Gupta, formed in connection with the Kalyan Sansthan Samiti.

DDA Vice Chairman Dinesh Roy was present in person and submitted that the DDA had cancelled the land lease of many societies which had flouted the agreement.

Many societies had changed hands by replacing the members of the governing body and the DDA should look into the matter.

The Court directed the Registrar Societies, Income Tax Department and other authorities to cooperate with the DDA in the probe.

The Court said it was a criminal offence to transfer the land for commercial use, which had been allotted for a social cause. The basic purpose of allottment at a concessional rate had been defeated, said the court in its order.

Senior Counsel Arun Jaitley appearing for the Chatrapati Shivaji Foundation submitted that the societies which did not change hands should be kept out of the purview of the probe.

The Court said the societies which had been functioning according to the lease deeds should not be scared of any probe.

UNI PAT MSJ BD1918